Feeding apparatus for use in burning clay to make ballast



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

. W. DAVY. V

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR USE IN BURNING CLAY TO MAKE BALLAST, &c.

Patented Sept. 18, 1888.

flve; %071' WiZZm Jan/j,

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. DAVY. FEEDING APPARATUS FOR. USE IN BURNING GLAYTO MAKE BALLAST, 880.

N03 389,551. Patented Sept. 18,1888.

15-822mm Davy (No Model.) 3 sh ets-sheet 3.

. W. DAVY. FEEDING APPARATUS FOR USE IN BURNING CLAY TO MAKE BALLAST, 8w,

Patented Sept. 18, 1888.

N. PETERS, PhMo-Lhhngmphlr. Wilhingion, n. c.

5 U TE STAT S 5 PATENT OFFICE.-

WILLIAM DAVY, on KnNosriA, WISCONSIN.

FEEDINQ'APPARATUS FOR USE IN BU RNING CLAY TO MAKE BALLAST, dc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,551, dated September 18, 1888.

Application filed-December 3, 1887- Serial No. 256,870. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DAVY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Feeding Apparatus for Use in Burning Olay to Make Ballast, 8170., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus whiohl have provided for use particularly in the practice of my method of burning clay, set forth in Letters Patent of the United States N 0. 305,432, granted me on the 23d day of September, 1884, and N 0. 371,042, granted me on the 4th day of October, 1887. In the last-named patent, in which the general principle of the invention covered by my aforesaid first patent isemployed, details suggested by experiment and experience for accomplishing the work in an improved manner and improving the product are set forth and clearly explain the full proceeding by which I practice at the present time the burning of clay to produce ballast and paving material, and the following brief description thereof is given in the present connection to render clear the operation of the apparatus forming the subject of the present application. I

The burning is performed in the open air. A location is selected on ground containing clay. On the ground kindling material is laid in a straight line, by preference a thousand or more feet in length, and is covered with clay dog from along one side of the line of kindling, a few feet away from the latter, the digging 0f the clay forming atrench. The intervening spaces produced in the piling between the wood and clay are then filled with coal in a manner to leave holes at intervals in the top of the pile through which to introduce coal-oil or similar inflammable material and at which the fire is ignited. After ignition coal is dropped into the holes, whereupon they are filled up with clay. When the fire has made sufficient headway, coal is scattered over the pile throughout its entire length, and when the long pile becomes a glowing mass another coveringof clay dug like the first from the trench is piled upon it, and the alternate slacking with coal and applying layers of clay are eontinned until the pile has reached desired diwhich, as it grew in dimensions, necessitated 6 the provision of platforms upon it within the reach of the diggers in the trench, and upon which to throw the clay, whence it was transferred by throwing with shovels by other hands stationed on the platforms upon the burning 7o pile, thus subjecting many of the men to the disagreeable and injurious effect of the smoke generated by the burning.

My present invention has for its object the provision of an apparatus by means of which the clay to be burned shall be fed to the fire automatically by digging it from the supply along the heap or fire, thereby forming the desired longitudinal trench and conveying it to the points thereof whereit is required to be dumped; and I thus save the employment of alarge number of hands (the machine will readily in a given time perform the work of fifty men during the same time) and avoid the subjection of hands to the effects of the smoke.

To this end my invention consists in the general construction of my improved apparatus; and it also consists in details of construction and combinations of parts.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional plan 0 view of my improved apparatus in operative position, taken on the line 1 of Fig. 3; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3, abroken sectional side elevation showing details of construction, and Fig. 4. a similar view showing other details.

A is the fire or long burning pile, andB the trench from which the clay to be burned is fed to the fire by means of my improved apparatus.

O is a housing, preferably in the form of a car, movable upon wheels ron a track, r, laid parallel to the fire on one side of the latter, and which may be shifted from the trench as the latter increases in cross-section by the removal of clay. Vithin the car are an engine, D, and boiler D, Fig. 1, which furnish the power of locomotion for the apparatus by suitable connection of the engine through a main or driving shaft, E, (which extends within the car longitudinally of the same, as shown,) with the driving mechanism, comprising a conepulley, E, of the variety formed of paper and operating by friction, two beveled frictionwhcels, F and F, on a transverse shaft, F, and between which the friction-pulley E extends, and reducing-gear q on the shaft F" and q g on a short transverse shaft, F, through which the power of the driving-shaft E is transmitted to the axle of the wheels 1* near one end of the car. The shaft E revolves at great speed to obtain the required d riving-power, while it is desired that the motion of the car shall be very slow; hence the provision ofthe reducing-gear thus described. Alevcr, p, serves as a means to force the cone-pulley into contact with the wheel F or F, and by the friction turn whichever of the wheels against which it is forced, depending upon the direction of movement desired for the car. Cog-wheel mechanism could be employed instead of the wheels E, F, and F, but not to so great advantage, as the teeth of the former are liable to be stripped, and it does not permit the gradual starting possible with the friction-wheel mechanism.

The car 0 is surmounted by a transverse boom, G, so called,which is ofordinary construction, being somewhat like the boom in hoisting machinery and comprising two tinibers or beams, preferably converging toward one end, and intermediate transverse braces near opposite ends. The boom G extends from opposite sides of the caron the one side over the fire A, whence it is braced by ordinary Dracerods, o and 0, Fig. 2, extending from it to a vertical mast, H, projecting through the roof of the car, which mast is in turn braced from the roof by brace-rods n. The boom G and mast are further braced from the base of the car, as shown, by rods 0" and 0. This manner of bracing may be changed without departing from my invention.

At the end of the main shaft E opposite that provided with the friction pulley E, (which shaft, as shown in Fig. 1, is supported in suitable bracket-bearings,) and inside the car, is afriction-pulley, I, also by preference of the paper variety. Below the shaft E, near the end carrying the friction-pulley I, is a counter-shaft, E supported like the main shaft and carrying directly below the pulley I a friction-drum, K, provided with a cam-lever, n, Fig. 3, and normally resting against a concave block, on, on the floor of the car, which block affords a brake to the drum. Beyond the drum K the counter-shaft E carries a conepulley, L, the tapering end of which points toward the drum K. A counter shaft, E, Fig. 3, is supported in the car above the main shaft E, and carries a friction drum, K, in line with the drum K, provided with a camlever, a and controlled by a brake, m, sup ported above it, and in form like the brake m, and the counter-shaft E also carries a pulley, L, above the pulley L.

M is a cable fastened at one end to the mast H, whence it extends around a sheave, Z, at the end of the boom G, which projects toward the fire A, and is fastened atits opposite end, passing through the side of the car to the pul ley L.

N is a shovel or scoop, ol'ordinary construction as to its body portion and provided with a bail, 7;, at which it is suspended from a pulley, 7t, loosely supported on the cable M. A

toggle-lever, k, abutting at opposite ends, rc-

spectivcly, against the bail and scoop, as shown, serves, when straight, to sustain the latter, which is hung upon the bail behind. its center of gravity, against capsizin g, while capsizing thereof, to emptyit,results from bending the toggle-joint, which is accomplished through the medium of a cable, 1, passing from the toggle-lever through an eye or over a pulley, i, on the rear end of the scoop. A cable, M, is fastened at one end to a bail, it, secured to thescoop, preferably forward of its center of gravity, and passes at its opposite end through the side of the car, wherein it is fastened to the pulley L near its larger end.

From the side of the ear adjacent to the fire and provided with the scoop-operating mech-. anism already described, and between the latter and the end of the car, at which the cardriving mechanism E F F, 850., is provided, is a plowing device, 0, for loosening the clay prior to its being taken up by the scoop and fed thereby to the fire. The device 0 comprises a triangular frame, h, supported at one angle upon a counter sl1al't,E,(in brackets below and to one side of the main shaft E,) and extending into the car at the side of the latter for the purpose. The counter-shaft E carries a friction-pulley, P, engaged by a paper frictioirpulley, P, on the main shaft E, and it also carries a pinion, P, in mesh with a cog-wheel, P, on a counter-shaft, E, sup ported, as shown, in bearings in the frame It outside the car 0. and carrying, also, a sprocket wheel, I, having a companion sprocket-wheel, 1"", supported at the opposite end of the hypotenuse of the triangnlarframe h, and an endless chain, R, surrounds the sprocket-wheels and carries plowshares t, preferably at equal distances apart, and arranged to have one always plowing the soil during the operation and operating to turn the soil in the direction toward the scoop. The frame It is further supported and steadied by an arm, (or arms,) h, extending from the right angle of the frame into the car, where it is slotted longitudinally, as shown at x, and adj ustably secured to change the pitch of the plowing device to the side of the car by means of a set-screw, g.

It will be noticed that the gear I P P is ICC) -the toggle-joint of the lever k also a reducinggear, to reduce the traveling speed of the plowing device below that of the driving-shaft E.

The operation is as follows: After the trench B has been formed incipiently by digging therefrom by hand with shovels the clay used before starting the fire, as hereinbefore described, the power of the engine D is transmitted to the driving-shaft E, which slowly moves the car on the track 7 along the fire A and actuates the plow device 0 to plow the soil in an upward transverse and, owing to the slow forward motion of the car, slightly oblique slanting direction from or from near the base of the trench along the side thereof farthest from the fire to the upper edge of the trench. The drum K is then raised from its brake-seat m into contact with the friction-pulley I, whereby the cone-pulley L is rotated and rapidly winds upon it (from the tapering toward the flaring end) the cable M, whereby the pulley L (released for the purpose) unwinds the cable M and causes the bucket or scoop N, lowered into the trench, to be dragged up the inclined side thereof, previously plowed, and fill itself with clay. When so filled, the drum K is lowered upon its brake and stopped when the drum K is brought into contact with the rotary friction-pulley I, whereby the cable M is unwound from the cone-pulley L and the .cable M wound upon the pulley L until the bucket or scoop N is raised to the desired point on the pile A, (to which it may be guided,) when it is capsized and its contents dumped by pulling upon the cable 1' to bend The tapering form of the pulley L regulates the winding of the cable M upon itto produce a quick return of the scoop to the trench and a slow fill. When the car reaches the end of its journeythat is, the end of the fire opposite that from which it started-its motion is reversed by forcing the pulley E against the proper wheel, F or F, as the case may be, and the operation continued (after shifting the track '2', if necessary) in the manner already described, provided a second plowing device, 0, is provided on the side of the scoop opposite that already described,which may, if desired, be done, when the one behind the scoop could always be maintained inoperative, though the same end may be accomplished with one plow device by having it capable of plowing at least as much more than can be taken up by the scoop in the movement of the apparatus in one direction as will suffice to feed it in the return of the apparatus.

Although I particularly design my improved apparatus for the immediate purpose stated, I do not of course wish to be understood as limiting myself to the particular use described, but desire to claim it for any purpose to which it may be applicable.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus substantially for the purpose set forth, the combination of a boom on a suitable support, a cable, M, passing over the boom and connected with suitable winding mechanism, L, a scoop or scraper, N, hung upon the cable N, and acable, M, connecting the scoop or scraper with suitable winding mechanism, L, whereby the scraper may be operated automatically toscoop soil from near the base toward the edge of an inclined plane, carry it to the place of dumping, and return to the inclined plane, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus substantially for the purpose set forth, the combination of a car, 0, a boom, G, supported thereon, a cable, M, passing over the boom and connected with suitable winding mechanism, L, on the car, a scoop or scraper, N, hung upon the cable M, and a cable, M, connecting the scoop or scraper with suitable winding mechanism, L, on the car, whereby the scoop or scraper shall move with the car and may be operated automatically to scoop soil from near the base toward an edge of an inclined side of a trench alongside of the car, carry the soil to the place of dumping, and return to the trench, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus substantially forthe purpose set forth, the combination of a car, 0, a boom, G, a scoop or bucket, N, operating to scoop soil and carry it to the place of dumping, and a plowing device, 0, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus substantially for the purpose set forth, the combination of a car, 0, a boom, G, a track, 1", upon which the car moves and adapted to be shifted laterally, a scoop or bucket, N, operating to scoop soil and carry it to the place of dumping, anda plowing device, O, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus substantially for the purpose set forth, the combination of a car, 0, a boom, G, a track, r, upon which the car moves and adapted to be shifted laterally, a scoop or bucket, N, operating to scoop ,soil and carry it to the place of dumping, and an adjustable plowing device, 0, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus substantially for the purpose set forth, the combination of a car, 0, a boom, G, supported on the car, a track, 0, alongside a trench and upon which the car moves, and adapted to be shifted with reference to the edge of the trench, a scoop or bucket, N, movable with the car lengthwise of the trench and operating to scoop soil from near the base toward the edge of an inclined side of the trench and carry it to the place of dumping, and a plowing device, 0, movable with the car and operating to plow the soil along the said inclined side of the trench, substantially as described.

7 In an apparatus substantially for the purpose set forth, the combination of a car, 0, provided with driving mechanism, a boom, G, supported on the car transversely thereof, a pulley, L, rotated by the said driving mechanism, a cable, M, secured at one end to a IlO rigid object, passed thence ovcra pulley, Z, on I pose set forth, the combination of a car, 0,

the boom, and secured at its opposite end to the pulley L, a scoop, N, suspended from the cable M, a pulley, L, rotated by the said driving mechanism, and a cable, M, secured at one end to the scoop and at its opposite end to the pulley L, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus substantially for the purpose set forth, the combination of a car, 0, provided with driving mechanism, a boom, G, supported by the ear transversely thereof, a pulley, L, rotated by the said driving mechanism, a cable, M, secured at one end to a rigid object, passed thence over a pulley, l, on the boom, and secured at its opposite end to the pulley L, a scoop, N, suspended from the ca ble M, a pulley, L, rotated by the said driving mechanism, a cable, M, secured at one end to the scoop and at its opposite end to the pulley L, and a plowing device, 0, actuated. by the said driving mechanism, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus substantially for the purprovided with driving mechanism, a mast, H, extending through the roof of the car, a boom, G, supported on the car transversely thereof and braced from opposite ends to the mast and car, a rotatory pulley, L, supported inside the car and connected with the said driving mechanism, a cable, M, secured at one end to a rigid object, passed thence overa pulley, Z, on the boom, and secured at its opposite end to the pulley L, a scoop, N, suspended from the cable M, a rotary pulley, L, supported inside the car and connected with the said driving mechanism, a cable, M, secured at one end to the scoop and at its opposite end to the pulley L, and a plowingdcvice, O, coir nected with and actuated by the said driving mechanism, substantially as described.

WILLIAM DA'VY.

In presence ol' J. W. DYRENFORTU, Dans. E. GAYLORI),

Correction in LettersPatent No. 389,551.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N 0. 389,551, upon the application of William Davy, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, for an improvement in Feeding Apparatus for Use in Burning Clay to Make Ballast, 850., an error appears in the printed specification requiring the following correction In line 72, page 3, the

reference letter N should be stricken out and the reference letter M inserted instead;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Offiee.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 16th day of October, A. D. 1888.

[SEAL] D. L. HAWKINS,

' Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Oountersigned:

BENTON J. HALL,

Commissioner of Patents.

granted September 18, 1888, i 

